Package Design: Colour Harmony and Consumer Expectations

Shuo-Ting Wei, Li-Chen Ou, M. Ronnier Luo, John B. Hutchings

This study investigated the relationship between contextualised colours and psychological responses using a semantic differential method. Fruit juice cartons were used as model product packs to elicit psychological responses of several aspects: judgments of the colour harmony of the packages and liking, quality and freshness of the products. Three major findings were concluded. First, colour harmony of fruit juice packages, liking and quality of the products were highly correlated. Judgments of these three aspects were influenced by the chromatic and hue differences between the colours of the packages and the colours of fruit pictures on the packages. Second, visual appraisal of freshness was affected by the lightness and chroma of the package colours. The chroma sum of the package colours and fruit colours also contributed to the expectation of freshness. Finally, colour harmony principles may differ according to the context within which colours are used. In the context of juice packaging, only two conventional colour harmony principles are tenable.